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CONTACT US OPINION PHONE: (605) 665-7811 (800) 743-2968 NEWS FAX: Why Trump Hasn’t (605) 665-1721 ADVERTISING FAX: (605) 665-0288 Gone ‘Too Far’ WEBSITE: www.yankton.net onald Trump has gone too far ... again. ––––– Of course, the final word of that sentence is the only one SUBSCRIPTIONS/ that really matters. It indicates that Trump’s penchant for CIRCULATION uttering preposterous, incendiary things that would doom Dany other candidate has not hurt him much at all. In fact, it’s only Extension 104 [email protected] helped him build a fired-up, ticked-off constituency. CLASSIFIED ADS His latest foray into the Twilight Zone occurred Monday when Extension 116 the bellicose billionaire and Republican presidential frontrunner called for barring Muslim immigrants from entering the United [email protected] Robert B. Reich NEWS DEPT. States until “(we can) figure out what is going on.” This comes in the wake of last week’s mass shooting in California by two Muslims Extension 114 --- one of whom was an immigrant --- who appear to have been “radi- [email protected] calized” by jihadist philosophy. The slaughter has been branded SPORTS DEPT. a terrorist attack and has further heightened anti-Muslim tensions What To Do About Extension 106 across the country. [email protected] The establishment reaction to Trump’s proposal was much ADVERTISING DEPT. like its reaction to other Trump offerings. The White House, the Extension 122 Democratic presidential candidates and Trump’s own GOP rivals [email protected] vigorously condemned it. But his supporters mostly loved it, and Disloyal Corporations BUSINESS OFFICE while we have yet to gauge the full fallout of this latest utterance, Extension 119 past experience suggests it will only boost his popularity. He is, yet BY ROBERT B. REICH upcoming deal with the European Union, the [email protected] again, what everyone is talking about right now, which is clearly Tribune Content Agency interests of American pharmaceutical compa- NEW MEDIA: part of his campaign strategy. nies like Pfizer -- gaining more patent protec- Extension 136 (To be fair, his statement on Muslims wasn’t wholly surprising or Just like that, Pfizer has decided it’s no tion abroad, limiting foreign release of drug [email protected] entirely original. Two weeks ago, fellow GOP candidates Jeb Bush longer American. It plans to link up with data, and preventing other governments from COMPOSING DEPT. and Ted Cruz were declaring that the U.S. should admit only “Chris- Ireland’s Allergan and move its corporate controlling drug prices -- have been central Extension 129 tian” refugees, which would seem to be a roundabout way of getting headquarters from New York to Ireland. points of contention. And Pfizer has been one [email protected] at the same thing. And on Tuesday, candidate Rand Paul noted he That way it will pay less in taxes. Ireland’s of the biggest beneficiaries. From now on, it tax rate is less than half that of shouldn’t be. * * * has previously proposed halting immigration from the Middle East in general, due to the dangers in that area.) . Ian Read, Pfizer’s U.S. pharmaceutical companies MANAGERS These days, Trump is called a lot of names — the list is long and chief executive, told the Wall Street rake in billions of dollars a year Gary L. Wood harsh, and in some cases unprintable here — but he’s not stupid. Journal the higher tax rate in the because Medicare isn’t allowed to Publisher What he’s calling for with Muslim immigrants is impractical and United States caused Pfizer to com- use its huge bargaining power to get perhaps illegal. That whole First Amendment thing about freedom of pete “with one hand tied behind our lower drug prices. But a non-Amer- Michele Schievelbein back.” ican company like Pfizer shouldn’t Advertising Director religion inconveniently stands in the way. But Trump is really playing to people’s deepest fears. He’s giving Read said he’d tried to lobby get any of this windfall. From now Jim Gevens loud voice to their anxieties, which at the moment are tethered to Congress to reduce the corporate tax on, Medicare should squeeze every Circulation Director Muslims, terrorism and whatever faceless things may be lurking in the rate (now 35 percent) but failed, so penny it can out of Pfizer. seemingly safe corners of our society. His solutions are usually vague Pfizer is leaving. American drug companies also Tonya Schild Such corporate desertions from get a free ride off of basic research Business Manager but they’re as direct as a sledgehammer, especially compared to the Robert B. agonizingly complicated, cautious realm of international diplomacy. the United States (technically called done by the National Institutes of Tera Schmidt That directness makes good sense to some people. His ideas are also “tax inversions”) will cost the rest of REICH Health. Last year, the NIH began a Classified Manager often unrealistic, ugly, mean-spirited and antithetical to the soul of us taxpayers some $19.5 billion over collaboration with Pfizer’s Centers Kelly Hertz this country, but they effectively prey on fear and harvest supporters. the next decade, estimates Con- for Therapeutic Innovation, subsidiz- Editor Meanwhile, the rest of us roll our eyes and declare that he’s “gone gress’s Joint Committee on Taxation. ing Pfizer’s appropriation of early too far.” Which is fueling demands from Republicans scientific discoveries for new medications. James D. Cimburek Again. to lower the corporate tax rate. Donald Trump In the future, Pfizer shouldn’t qualify for this Sports Editor The truth is, Trump isn’t going “too far” at all if enough people wants it to be 15 percent. Mike Huckabee and subsidy, either. Beth Rye are right there with him, propping up his scorched-earth presiden- Ted Cruz want to eliminate the corporate tax Finally, non-American corporations face Digital Media Director tial quest and buying his mantra that he’ll “make America great altogether. (How this would save the Treasury restrictions on what they can donate to U.S. again,” apparently by stripping away some of the most basic ideas more money than further corporate tax inver- candidates for public office, and how they can Kathy Larson that made this nation great in the first place. sions is unclear.) lobby the U.S. government. Yet Pfizer has been Composing Manager As long as his angry base fuels him and has his back, Trump will Rather than lower corporate tax rates, an among America’s biggest campaign donors Sarah Lynde continue to pound at boundaries while he panders for support. At easier fix would be to take away the benefits of and lobbyists. District Manager the moment, fear, frustration, paranoia and belligerence seem to be corporate citizenship from any company that In 2014, it gave $2,217,066 to candidates, his most effective allies. deserts America. according to OpenSecrets.org. (By contrast, * * * kmh One big benefit is the U.S. patent system its major competitor, Johnson & Johnson, DAILY STAFF that grants companies like Pfizer longer patent spent $755,000.) And Pfizer spent $9,493,000 Reilly Biel protection and easier ways to extend it than on lobbyists. So far in the 2016 election cycle, Cassandra Brockmoller ABOUT THIS PAGE most other advanced economies. it’s been one of the top 10 corporate donors. Brandi Bue In 2013, Pfizer raked in nearly $4 billion Pfizer’s political generosity has paid Rob Buckingham The View page provides a forum for open discussion of issues and Caryn Chappelear interests affecting our readers. Initialed editorials represent the opinion on sales of the Prevnar 13 vaccine, which off — preventing Congress from attaching Randy Dockendorf of the writer, but not necessarily that of the PRESS & DAKOTAN. prevents diseases caused by pneumococcal a prescription drug benefit to Medicare, or Jeannine Economy Bylined columns represent the view of the author. We welcome letters on bacteria, from ear infections to pneumonia. from making it easier for generics to enter the Rachel Frederick current topics. Questions regarding the Views page should be directed to Pfizer is the only manufacturer of Prevnar 13. market, or from using Medicare’s bargaining Jeremy Hoeck Kelly Hertz at [email protected]/. Other countries wouldn’t allow their patent power to reduce drug prices. Nicole Myers systems to justify such huge charges. Neither And the company has donated hundreds Robert Nielsen Diana Smallwood should we — especially when Pfizer stops be- of thousands of dollars to the candidacies of David Stephenson IN HISTORY ing an American company. state attorneys general in order to get favora- Cathy Sudbeck The U.S. government also protects the ble settlements in cases brought against it. JoAnn Wiebelhaus By The Associated Press proved a controversial hike in university assets of American corporations all over the But by deserting America, Pfizer relinquish- Brenda Willcuts Today is Wednesday, Dec. 9, the tuition fees. Actor Wesley Snipes began 343rd day of 2015. There are 22 days left serving a three-year sentence at a fed- world. es its right to influence American politics. Alissa Woockman in the year. eral prison in Pennsylvania for failure to In the early 2000s, after a Chinese com- If Pfizer or any other American corpora- Today’s Highlights in History: On file income tax returns. Florida’s Clem- pany replicated Pfizer’s formula for Viagra, tion wants to leave America to avoid U.S. Dec. 9, 1965, Nikolai V. Podgorny re- ency Board pardoned Jim Morrison for * * * placed Anastas I. Mikoyan as chairman indecent exposure and profanity charges the U.S. trade representative put China on a taxes, that’s their business. But they should Published Daily of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, stemming from a Doors concert in 1969. “priority watch list” and charged China with no longer get any of the benefits of American a job he would hold for almost 12 years. John du Pont, the chemical fortune heir “inadequate enforcement” against such piracy. citizenship — because they’ve stopped paying Monday-Saturday “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” the first who killed Olympic gold medal wrestler Periodicals postage animated TV special featuring charac- David Schultz in 1996, died in prison at Soon thereafter the Chinese backed down. for them. paid at Yankton, South ters from the “Peanuts” comic strip by age 72. Now, China is one of Pfizer’s major sources of Charles M. Schulz, was first broadcast on One year ago: U.S. Senate investi- revenue. Former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich Dakota, under the act of CBS. The James Bond film “Thunderball,” gators concluded the United States had March 3, 1979. starring Sean Connery, had its world pre- brutalized scores of terror suspects with But when Pfizer is no longer American, is Chancellor’s Professor of Public Policy at the Weekly Dakotian miere in Tokyo. interrogation tactics that turned secret the United States should stop protecting its University of California at Berkeley and Senior established June 6, 1861. On this date: In 1608, English poet CIA prisons into chambers of suffering foreign assets. Fellow at the Blum Center for Developing Econ- John Milton was born in London. and did nothing to make Americans safer Nor should Pfizer reap the benefits when omies. His new book, “Saving Capitalism: For Yankton Daily Press and In 1854, Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s fa- after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Britain’s Dakotian established April mous poem, “The Charge of the Light Bri- Prince William and his wife, Kate, paid a the United States goes to bat for American the Many, Not the Few,” is now in bookstores. 26, 1875. gade,” was published in England. solemn, rain-drenched visit to the Nation- corporations in trade deals. His film “Inequality for All” is now available on Postmaster: Send In 1911, an explosion inside the Cross al Sept. 11 Memorial and Museum as they In the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the iTunes and Amazon streaming address changes to Yankton Mountain coal mine near Briceville, Ten- wrapped up their first visit to New York. nessee, killed 84 workers. (Five were Mary Ann Mobley Collins, 77, a former Daily Press & Dakotan, rescued.) Miss America and actress, died in Beverly 319 Walnut, Yankton, SD In 1935, the Downtown Athletic Club Hills, California. 57078. of New York honored college football Today’s Birthdays: Actor Kirk Doug- LETTERS TO THE EDITOR player Jay Berwanger of the University of las is 99. Actor-writer Buck Henry is 85. * * * Chicago with the DAC Trophy, which later Actress Dame Judi Dench is 81. Actor became known as the Heisman Trophy. Beau Bridges is 74. Jazz singer-musician It’s Time For A Little Sunlight finance and ethics enforcement. Making mat- MEMBERSHIPS In 1940, British troops opened their Dan Hicks is 74. Football Hall-of-Famer ters worse, the study found that “newspaper The Yankton Daily first major offensive in North Africa during Dick Butkus is 73. Comedian-songwriter Douglas Sall, Yankton coverage of statehouses is shrinking, with Press & Dakotan is a World War II. Neil Innes is 71. Actor Michael Nouri is 70. South Dakota state government has been fulltime statehouse staff suffering a 35 percent member of the Associ- In 1958, the anti-communist John Former Sen. Thomas Daschle, D-S.D., is experiencing a couple of rough patches the Birch Society was formed in Indianapolis. 68. World Golf Hall of Famer Tom Kite is drop between 2003 and 2014 [according to the ated Press, the Inland In 1962, the Petrified Forest in Arizo- 66. Singer Joan Armatrading is 65. Actor past few years regarding public integrity and Daily Press Association Pew Research Center].”Thus, it’s concluded na was designated a national park. Michael Dorn is 63. Actor John Malkovich openness which, unfortunately, resulted in that “with fewer prying eyes snooping into and the South Dakota In 1975, President Gerald R. Ford is 62. Country singer Sylvia is 59. Singer deaths not only to the parties involved. Newspaper Association. signed a $2.3 billion seasonal loan-au- Donny Osmond is 58. Rock musician Nick their business, perhaps it’s not surprise that The Associated Press thorization that officials of Seymour (Crowded House) is 57. Come- Recently, the Center of Public Integrity state officials regularly engage in such dubi- is entitled exclusively and State said would prevent a city de- dian Mario Cantone is 56. Actor David released a study entitled “States Flunk at ous business.” to use of all the local fault. Anthony Higgins is 54. Actor Joe Lando is Integrity.” The rankings, along with letter news printed in this In 1984, the 5-day-old hijacking of a 54. Actress Felicity Huffman is 53. Crown Thank goodness that we, here in South newspaper. Kuwaiti jetliner that claimed the lives of Princess Masako of Japan is 52. Country grades, were based on answers to 245 ques- Dakota, don’t have to deal with the likes of a two Americans ended as Iranian security musician Jerry Hughes (Yankee Grey) is tions, items researched by experienced state New Mexico legislator, a guy who defended * * * men seized control of the plane, which 50. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., is 49. government reporters like Bob Mercer. Eleven was parked at Tehran airport. Rock singer-musician Thomas Flowers a statute that the state Legislature passed states received failing grades, South Dakota declaring lawmakers’ emails exempt from the SUBSCRIPTION In 1987, the first Palestinian intefadeh, (Oleander) is 48. Rock musician Brian among them. According to the Center, 13 RATES* or uprising, began as riots broke out in Bell (Weezer) is 47. Rock singer-musician open records laws. As he said, “I think it’s up Gaza and spread to the West Bank, trig- Jakob Dylan (Wallflowers) is 46. Coun- different categories were examined, varying to me to decide if YOU can have my record.” (Payable in advance) gering a strong Israeli response. try musician Brian Hayes (Cole Deggs from public access to information to campaign CARRIER DELIVERY In 1992, Britain’s Prince Charles and and the Lonesome) is 46. Actress Allison WOW. 1-month...... $12.09 Princess Diana announced their separa- Smith is 46. Songwriter and former “Amer- 3 months...... $36.27 tion. (The couple’s divorce became final ican Idol” judge Kara DioGuardi is 45. Aug. 28, 1996.) Country singer David Kersh is 45. Actress YOUR D.C. LAWMAKERS 6 months...... $72.53 In 1995, Congressman Kweisi Mfume Reiko Aylesworth is 43. Rock musician Tre 1-year...... $133.09 was chosen to become the new head of Cool (Green Day) is 43. Rapper Canibus SOUTH DAKOTA NEBRASKA MOTOR ROUTE the NAACP. is 41. Actor Kevin Daniels (TV: “Sirens”) United States Senate Ten years ago: President George W. is 39. Actor/writer/director Mark Duplass SEN. JOHN THUNE: SEN. DEB FISCHER: 825 Hart Senate Office (where available) SR-493, , D.C. 20510; Washington 1 month...... $14.51 Bush, addressing a political fundraiser in is 39. Rock musician Eric Zamora (Save Building, Washington, D.C. 20510; Washington Minnesota, said the United States would Ferris) is 39. Rock singer Imogen Heap is Phone: (866) 850-3855; Sioux Falls Phone: (605) Phone: (202) 224-6551; email: N/A 3 months...... $43.53 wage an unrelenting battle in Iraq to pro- 38. Actor Jesse Metcalfe is 37. Actor Si- 6 months...... $87.05 334-9596; Fax: (202) 228-3855; Web: thune. SEN. BEN SASSE: B40E Dirksen Senate Of- tect Americans at home. A congressional mon Helberg is 35. Actress Jolene Purdy senate.gov. 1 year...... $139.14 report said the federal government’s med- is 32. Actor Joshua Sasse is 28. Olympic fice Building Washington DC 20510; Washington MAIL IN RETAIL ical response to Hurricane Katrina was gold and silver medal gymnast McKayla SEN. MIKE ROUNDS: 502 Hart Senate Phone: (202) 224-4224; email: N/A Trade Zone bungled by a lack of supplies and poor Maroney is 20. Building, Washington, D.C. 20510; Washington REP. ADRIAN SMITH: 503 Cannon House 1-month...... $16.93 communication. Thought for Today: “The real ques- Phone: 202-224-5842; D.C. Fax: 202-224-7482; Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515-2703; Five years ago: In Britain’s worst tion is not whether machines think but Sioux Falls Phone: 605-336-0486; S.D. Fax: 605- 3 months...... $50.79 political violence in years, student protest- whether men do. The mystery which sur- Washington Phone: (202) 225-6435; Fax: (202) 6 months...... $101.57 ers rained sticks and rocks on riot police, rounds a thinking machine already sur- 336-6624; email: N/A 225-0207; District Phone: (308) 633-6333; 1-year...... $148.82 vandalized government buildings and rounds a thinking man.” — B.F. Skinner, REP. KRISTI NOEM: 2422 Rayburn House email: log on at www.house.gov/writerep/ MAIL OUTSIDE attacked a car carrying Prince Charles American behaviorist (1904-1990). Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515; Wash- RETAIL TRADE ZONE and his wife, Camilla, after lawmakers ap- ington Phone: (202) 225-2801 or (855) 225-2801; 1 month...... $19.35 Sioux Falls Phone: (605) 275-2868; Fax: (202) 3 months...... $58.05 FROM THE BIBLE 225-5823; email: visit https://noem.house.gov 6 months...... $116.09 1-year...... $186.33 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. * Plus applicable sales tax ... Let your light shine before others. Matthew 5:14, 16. Portals of for all rates Prayer, Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis. WRITE US: Letters, Yankton Press & Dakotan, 319 Walnut, Yankton, SD 57078